ese

Ese is a three-letter term with several distinct meanings in Spanish and in English-language word formation. In Spanish, ese is a masculine singular demonstrative adjective meaning "that" and can function as a determiner (ese libro, "that book") or as a pronoun meaning "that one." In informal speech, particularly in Mexican Spanish and among Chicano communities, ese can also serve as a vocative or term of address akin to "dude" or "man," with tone and context shaping whether it is friendly or confrontational.

In English and many other languages, ese is a productive suffix used to form demonyms and names of languages. It attaches to place names to indicate origin or language, yielding words such as Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Maltese, and others. The -ese suffix derives from Latin -ensis and was transmitted to English through Old French, with various spellings and pronunciations adapting over time.

In summary, ese functions as a Spanish demonstrative adjective and, in some dialects, as a slang vocative, while in English it is a productive suffix for related demonyms and linguistic terms. The two uses are unrelated in meaning but share identical spelling, reflecting the diverse paths of language through contact and historical development.